Sports
Eagles of Mali Pecks Green Falcons of Saudi 3-1 in International Friendly.
The Eagles of Mali on Tuesday at the Estadio Municipal de Portimao thrashed the Green Falcons of Saudi Arabia 3-1 in an International Friendly match where Nigeria’s Super Eagles managed a 2-2 draw score line.

The Malians were 2-0 up at half time as Moussa Doubia Al-Adalah FC of Saudi left winger scored the first goal off M. Camara assist in the 14th minute and Hamari Troare who plays at the right back for Real Sociedad scored the second goal for Mali in the 42nd minute.
32 year old winger for Al-Hilal, Salem Aldawsari got an assist from Al-Khaibari to score Saudi’s only goal in the 58th minute.
Auxerre player, Lassine Sinayoko went smoking like a Kafachan train in Southern Kaduna of Nigeria so unstoppable after the telegraphic pass from Diarra to score Mali’s third goal in the 71st minute.
The only time Mali and Saudi Arabia met was on 25th of September 2019 when both played 1-1 draw.
Saudi played 2-2 with Nigeria 13th October; played 1-1 with Korea on 12th September; lost 1-3 to Costa Rica on 8th September and Bolivia beat her 2-1 on 28th March.
Mali on the same 13th October beat the Ugandan Cranes 1-0; played goalless with Elephants of Ivory Coast on 12th of September and in two ACN encounters beat South Sudan 4-0 on 8th September and subdued Congo 2-0 on 18th of June.
Ranked 49 in the world as against 40 of Nigeria, Mali has never been to the world cup but had 13 appearances at AFCON where her best was being Runners up in 1972 and she also had 3 appearances at African Nations Cup ANC with being finalists twice in 2016 and 2020.
In the world cup qualifiers, the Green Falcons, so named because of their peculiar green shirts like the Super Eagles, will on 15th November 2023 meet the winner of the Cambodia/Pakistan clash; and on 20th November 2023 play against Jordan.
The Green Falcons, ranked 57 in world football, had made 6 appearances at the world cup finals with their best result being a round of 16 stages in 1994. The team was Asian Champions thrice in 1984; 1988 and 1996.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria interestingly also had 6 appearances at the world cup finals with their best results being four times at the round of 16 stages in same 1994; 1998 and 2014. Nigeria was African Champions thrice in 1980; 1994 and 2013.
Nigerians had been complaining of low performance against the Super Eagles in the last two friendlies played in Portugal wondering why her Goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho who has been the leaking point was not substituted against Mozambique which Nigeria struggled to win 3-2 their first victory in the last five friendly matches.
Nigeria has the hurdles to the road of the next world cup in Group C with Benin Republic; Lesotho; Rwanda and South Africa. Soccer pundits believe that except the unforeseen happens, no team can stop Nigeria from their 7th appearance at the world cup.
By Eniola Olatunji
Sports
Iraola: My Fight With Isak Has Never Been About Goals
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola says Alexander Isak is a “massive” player for him – but adds he “fights” with the player about needing to do more for the “collective”.
Isak scored twice in the opening nine minutes in the 2-0 win over Ipswich to take his tally to three for the season – but Iraola hinted the player needs to do more off the ball for the team.
“He’s a massive player for us,” he told Sky Sports. “My demands will not be about the goals: he’s fit, in a good shape and he will produce the numbers.
“But my fights with him are more about other stuff, how to help the team in other situations. But it’s good he has played two full games and today a good amount of minutes, scoring the goals.”
Iraola did not reveal which specific areas Isak needs to improve, but it could be interpreted that Iraola wants his striker to do more in the pressing.
“I will demand other things so we can play well,” he said in his post-match press conference about those demands to Isak. “And if we play well, we are in good positions, the goals will come.
“He has to contribute to the collective and when everyone helps, after the goals and results will come.”
Iraola also said to Sky: “Today we were much, much better in our press. We were recovering very high and then we can contact him in good positions.
“If we recover the ball lower, it will be more difficult to find him to have less spaces. So we need more quality effort to put our No 9 in situations like he had today.”
Sports
‘It’s So Strong’ – Sabalenka Halts Play Over Cannabis Smell
Aryna Sabalenka briefly halted her US Open match against Kamilla Rakhimova because of a strong smell of cannabis before cruising into the fourth round in New York.
Top seed Sabalenka raised the issue after going 3-0 up in the first set against Uzbekistan’s Rakhimova, telling umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore that “someone is smoking weed”.
The Belarusian asked the umpire to intervene “because it’s so strong”.
Asderaki-Moore spoke to an official on her radio and made a smoking gesture to someone behind her, before play continued.
Two-time defending champion Sabalenka went on to secure a confident 6-3 6-4 victory on Louis Armstrong Stadium as she chases a fifth Grand Slam singles title.
Sabalenka said afterwards she was not sure where the smell of cannabis was coming from but asked fans to be more mindful.
Smoking is not permitted on site at Flushing Meadows but the smell of cannabis sometimes wafts on to court from the nearby Corona Park.
It is legal to smoke it in New York for adults aged 21 and over.
“It’s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best,” Sabalenka said.
“I don’t know if it was coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blows it into the stadium.
“I just hope they’re going to be a bit more aware of that stuff.”
Sabalenka is not the first player at this year’s US Open to complain about the smell of cannabis at Flushing Meadows.
Britain’s Katie Boulter previously said it was distracting, while Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones also noticed the smell.
In past years players including Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev have also complained.
Sports
Onana Gets Twins As Salah Welcomes First Son Weeks After Joining Turkish Team
Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah has welcomed his third child and first son, named Lail, Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan said after the Turkish club’s third-round league match against Amedspor.
Doğan said Salah and his Cameroonian teammate André Onana travelled outside Turkey following the match as their wives were due to give birth.
“After the Amed match, we travelled abroad with Onana and Salah. Onana welcomed twins, while Salah welcomed a baby boy. I congratulate their families and wives,” Doğan was quoted as telling Turkish media.
Salah’s sister, Rabab Salah, later revealed the baby’s name on Instagram, posting a photograph of a baby hat and congratulating her brother on the birth of Lail.
The child is Salah’s first son. The Egyptian star and his wife, Magi, already have two daughters, Makka and Kayan.
Doğan’s comments came after a photograph of Salah and Onana aboard a private jet circulated online, prompting questions among Trabzonspor supporters and local media about the reason for their trip.
The club president said both players had travelled for family reasons following the match.
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